"Let no man deceive you with empty words."
18. This applies to those who gloss their unchastity over, as if it
were but a trivial sin. And some have been even such vulgar teachers
as to consider no unchastity evil except adultery, and to accept it as
a normal function, like eating and drinking. The Greek philosophers
and poets were of this class. And Terence says, "It is neither a sin
nor a shame for a youth to commit fornication." To obey such doctrine
would be to know nothing of God and to live in the lust of
concupiscence, like the gentiles who know not God, of whom we heard in
the preceding lesson. All arguments of this character are vain words;
they may fascinate the reason after a fashion; yet they are vain and
futile, unable to profit their authors.
Covetousness likewise has much false show and glitter. When one
defrauds another or seeks his own advantage to the injury of others,
his act is not at all called sin, but cleverness, economy and
sagacity, though meanwhile the poor must suffer want and even die of
hunger. Such arguments are merely the specious and blind utterances of
heathen, contrary to Christian love.
19. But we have additional light upon this subject, showing that
because of such practices the wrath of God comes upon the unbelieving.
In First Corinthians 10, 18 are cited numerous examples of punishment
for the sin of fornication. See also Num 25. Again, because of
wantonness, covetousness and unchastity, the entire world was
destroyed by the flood. This is a severe utterance but true and
indubitable.
"For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of
disobedience."
"Sons of disobedience"--in other words, they who have fallen from the
faith. Thus we see that he who does not show his faith by his deeds,
is accounted practically an infidel. In fact, he is worse than an
infidel; he is an apostate Christian, or an apostate from the faith.
Therefore comes the wrath of God upon such, even here on earth. This
is why we Germans must suffer so much famine, pestilence, war and
bloodshed to come upon us.
20. Among these idle chatterers and misleading teachers the sluggards
and drones should beware of being classified, who, with better light
than the heathen, know full well that covetousness and unchastity are
sin. While they teach nothing to controvert this, they notwithstanding
trust for salvation in a faith barren of works, on the ground that
works cannot effect salvation. They know full well that a faith barren
of works is nothing, is a false faith; that fruit and good works must
follow a genuine faith of necessity. Nevertheless they go on in carnal
security, without fear of the wrath and judgment of God, who wants the
old Adam to be crucified, and to find good fruit on good trees.
It is possible that St. Paul does not refer in this passage to those
who, like the heathen, teach and maintain by specious arguments that
unchastity is no sin; nevertheless there is reason to apprehend that
the reward of the heathen will be meted out to them likewise; for they
live like the heathen, being strangers to both chastity and kindness.
And our apprehension is so much more justified because they have a
better knowledge of the wrong they commit. This is Paul's standpoint
when he asks (Rom 2, 3): "And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest
them that practice such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt
escape the judgment of God?" "After thy hardness and impenitent
heart," he adds, thou "treasurest up for thyself wrath."
"Be not ye therefore partakers with them; for ye were once darkness,
but are now light in the Lord."
21. Peter similarly counsels (1 Pet 4, 3) to let the time past of our
lives suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles, and no
longer be partakers with them, but live the rest of our time to the
will of God. While we were gentiles we knew not that all those things
were sin, because of the darkness of unbelief, which prevented our
knowing God. But now we have become a light in the Lord. That is, we
have been so amply enlightened through Christ that we not only know
God and what he desires, and understand what sin and wrong are, but we
are also able to light others, to teach them what we know. Paul
commends the Philippians for being a light in the world, among an evil
and untoward generation. Phil 2, 15. And, similarly, when we were
gentiles we not only were darkened, not only were ignorant and went
astray, but we were darkness itself, leading others into the same
condition by our words and deeds. We have reason, then, to be thankful
unto him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1
Pet 2, 9), and to "walk as children of light."
"For the fruit of the light [Spirit] is in all goodness and
righteousness and truth."
22. Since Paul is speaking of light, it would have been more to the
point had he said "fruit of the light," in accordance with the Latin
version, than "fruit of the Spirit," the Greek rendering. And who
knows but it may, in the Greek, have been altered to harmonize with
Galatians 5, 22, where Paul speaks of the "fruit of the Spirit"? It
matters little, however; evidently "Spirit" and "light" are synonymous
in this place.
"Goodness" is the fruit of light, or of the Spirit, as opposed to
covetousness. The Christian is to be good; that is, useful, gladly
working his neighbor's good. "Righteousness," as fruit of the Spirit
among men--for the Spirit also is righteous before God--is opposed to
covetousness. The Christian must not take another's possessions by
force, trickery or fraud, but must give to each his due, his own, even
to the heathen authorities. See Rom 13, 1. "Truth" is the fruit of the
Spirit as opposed to hypocrisy and lies. A Christian is not only to be
truthful in word, but honest in life. He should not bear the name
without the works; he cannot be a Christian and yet live a heathenish
life, a life of unchastity, covetousness and other vices.
_Fourth Sunday In Lent_
Text: Galatians 4, 21-31.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the
law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the
handmaid, and one by the freewomen. 23 Howbeit the son by the handmaid
is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through
promise. 24 Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two
covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which
is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to
the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. 26
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. 27 For
it is written,
Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not;
Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not:
For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the
husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But as
then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born
after the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 Howbeit what saith the
scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son; for the son of the
handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. 31
Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the
freewoman.